Comb for carpet sweepers



Nov. 17, 1942. -B. TH IELE ,2

COMB FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Filed Aug 1, 1941 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COBB FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Berthold Thiele Milwaukee Wis assi gnor to E. R. Wagner Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, W1s., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 1, 1941, Serial No. 405,002

6 Claims.

and rebent as required for asesmbly and disassembly, and yet is sufliciently stiff, strong, and

, rigid when the comb is in place and in operation in the sweeper. The comb is made up of an elongated strip-like body portion. At its end the strip-like portion is provided with integral lugs. Pivot studs are staked to these lugs and the lugs also perform the function of stop lugs when the comb is in the sweeper. A row of teeth projects from one longitudinal edge of the striplike body of the comb. A reinforcing flange is integral with the other longitudinal edge of the strip-like body of the comb and extends substantially at right-angles thereto. At a point intermediate the ends of the flange it has a portion upset or displaced outwardly from the plane of the flange and toward the plane of the strip-like body portion. The displaced portion is preferably curved and serves two functions. It provides a deformable line or zone which has a definite locus on the comb so that the comb may be bent and rebent for purposes of assembly and disassembly without distorting the sections of the reinforcing flange on the opposite sides of the displaced portion and without permanently distorting the body of the comb. The second function of this displaced portion is performed in the assembly wherein it serves as a tie or bridge between the sections of the reinforcing flange on its opposite sides, thereby aiding these reinforcing flanges in stiffening and strengthening the body of the comb.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View in top plan of the carpet sweeper equipped with combs embodying the bemg broken away to show the combsand the manner in which they are combined with the sweeper; Figure 2 is a fragmentar view in illustrating the manner in which the mfi i s bent and rebent in order to assemble it with the sweeper, the comb being viewed from above but at an angle and from its flanged side; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showmg the comb completely rebent or straightened and in operative position in the sweeper;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in enlarged plan of one end of the comb; Flgure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showioii'ggnthe same portion of the comb in front eleva- Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line B6 *igure 7 is a sectional i of Figure 6 v eW taken on line 1 1 Referring to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates a standard or conventional carpet sweeper which has any suitable prefabricated sweeper case H. The sweeper case H has side walls [2 which are formed with transversely alined bear sweeper with a prefabricated sweeper case, andihislis eispetriially true where wooden cases are mp oye e arts f gather. p c which are glued to- The present invention provides a comb structure which is also completely prefabricated and yet may be readily, easily, and convenientlyassembled with a prefabricatedsweeper case.

In carrying out these purposes, the comb is preferably stamped from sheet metal, such as mild steel, and comprises an elongated strip-like body portion I1. Lugs 18 are integral with the ends of the strip-like body portion and extend at right-angles thereto. Pivot studs 14 are fixedly secured to these lugs I3 and preferably they are staked thereto in the manner illustrated in present invention, the top or cover of the sweeper forcing flange, designated generally at 20 is integral with and preferably extends substantially at right-angles to the other longitudinal edge of the strip-like body l! of the comb. At some point between its ends the flange 2!. is punched or upset to provide a combined curved bridge and a deformable zone 2!. The metal which constitutes this combined bridge and deformable zone 2! is displaced from the plane of the reinforcing flange toward the plane of the elongated striplike body I! of the comb, and it is of curved formation.

As shown in the drawing, it is located mid-way between the ends of the reinforcing flange, and while this is a convenient location, it may be placed at some other point.

When the comb I5 is assembled with and in operation in the sweeper, the element 2| provides a tie or bridge between the sections 2m and of the reinforcing flange 20, and aids these reinforcing flange sections in strengthening and stiffening the comb.

During the operations of assembling and disassembling the comb, with the sweeper, the ele ment 2! definitely locates a deformable bending line or zone so that, for example, the person assembling the comb with the sweeper may grasp the sections and 26 of the reinforcing flange and the adjacent portions of a straight comb and bend thecornb to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. This draws or displaces the pivot studs l5 inwardly so that they may be passed between the side walls H of the sweeper case until they are brought into registry with the bearing sockets l3 of these side walls, whereupon the comb may be rebent to straighten it out and push the pivot studs l4 into position in their hearing sockets l3. During this operation any distortion of the sections 28 and 23 of the reinforcing flange 2G is prevented since the bending zone is definitely located in the element 2| and substantially along the center line thereof. The alined portion of the strip-like body 11 of the comb is bent, of course, but straightens out on rebending, and its structure and its capacity for its intended purposes rema n unimpaired. The final position of the straightened comb, in the assembly, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

With such a construction, the comb may be completely prefabricated with its body portion,

teeth, reinforcing flange, mounting and stop lugs c and pivot studs all in final form and assembly and yet may be very readily and easily assembled with a prefabricated sweeper case.

While I have shown and described one construction in which the invention may be advanta'geously embodied, it is to be understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims,

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a comb for use with carpet sweepers provided with a reinforcing flange having a portion intermediate its ends displaced from the plane of the flange to define a deformable zone of definite locusand also a bridge between the sections of the. flange on the opposite sides of said displaced portion.

2. As an article of manufacture, a comb for use with carpet sweepers comprising an elongated'strip-like body, a row of teeth integral with and projecting from one longitudinal edge of the strip-like body, and a reinforcing flange integral with the other lonigtudinal edge of the body and having a portion intermediate its ends displaced from the plane of the flange and toward the plane of the body and of curved formation to define a deformable or bending zone of definite locus and also a bridge or tie between the sections of the flange on the opposite sides of said displaced portion.

3. As an article of manufacture, a comb for use with carpet sweepers comprising an elongated strip-like body, lugs integral with the ends of the body, pivot studs permanently secured to the lugs and projecting laterally therefrom, a row of teeth integral with and projecting from one longitudinal edge of the strip-like body, and a reinforcing flange integral with the other longitudinal edge of the body and having a portion intermediate its ends displaced from the plane of the flange and toward the plane of the body and of curved formation to define a deformable or binding zone of definite locus and also a bridge or tie between the sections of the flange on the oppostie sides of said displaced portion.

4. In combination with a carpet sweeper having acasing including end walls provided with transversely alined bearing sockets, a comb constituted of sheet metal and comprising an elongated strip-like body, lugs integral with the ends of the body, pivot studs permanently secured to the lugs, projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to be rotatably interfitted with the bearing sockets, a row of teeth integral with and projecting from one edge of the strip-like body, a reinforcing flange integral with the other longitudinal edge of the body, a portion of the reinforcing flange intermediate its ends being upset to divide the reinforcing flange into two sections and to provide a curved and deformable bridge between said sections, said bridge being deformable to provide for assembly and disassembly of the pivot studs of the comb with the bearing sockets and bridging the sections of the reinforcing flange in the assembly to aid the re inforcing flange in strengthening and stiffening the comb.

5. In combination with a carpet sweeper having a casing including end walls provided with transversely alined bearing sockets, a comb constituted of sheet metal and comprising an elongated strip-like body, lugs integral with the ends of the body, pivot studs permanently secured to the lugs, projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to be rotatably interfltted with the bearing sockets, a row of teeth integral with and projecting from one edge of the strip-like body, a reinforcing flange integral with the other longitudinal edge of the body, a portion of the reinforcing flange intermediate its ends being upset from the plane of the flange and toward the plane of the body to define a bending zone of definite locus, and a bridge between the sections of the flange on the opposite sides of said upset portion.

6. As an article of manufacture, a comb for use with carpet sweepers constituted of resilient metal and provided with a reinforcing flange having a curved formation intermediate its ends affording a bending zone of definite locus and also a bridge or tie between the sections of the flange on the opposite sides of said formation. BERTHOLD THIELEL. 

